Cheech and Chong ... anyone? No? Ok.
I confess to not totally understanding what exactly earmarks are, but I think Republicans are on to something when they criticize spending bills loaded up with pet projects for a congressman's home district.
Now, there has been much talk of dishonest or deceptive examples that R's have trotted out, like the nonexistent mouse study earmark in California or Jindal's imaginary maglev train from Los Vegas to Disneyland.
But I think in principle, it's time for Congress to develop a more honest and open approach to this stuff. Let's get it all out in the open, debate it, and make the case for it if it's worthwhile.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
It's OK, Bobby, there ARE second acts in American Politics
Man, the response to Jindal's speech has been brutal. In addition to Chris Matthews raking him over the coals above, the Fox News analysts (such a difficult thing to type w/o putting quotation marks in there!) also were unanimously down on his speech. The Washington Post compared him to Don Knotts. Ouch.
I did enjoy seeing Charles Krauthammer call Obama "Reaganesque."
He's Pretty Good as a Speaker, No?
I only caught part of the Almost State of the Union speech, but Obama was masterful as usual. A little short on the details, but then again, whenever a Pres. starts going into details in one of these things, everybody always complains about laundry lists and lack of a bigger vision.
I liked the "we are not a nation of quitters" line. I liked the emphasis on health care. He seemed both optimistic and doggedly realistic. That's not an easy thing to pull off.
Bobby Jindal got the unenviable task of following him, and did not do so well. I mean put aside the content (I really wonder how many people thought the problem with Katrina is that the government was TOO involved??) -- his presentation was simply stiff and kind of mechanical, in my view.
Jindal said something like, "we know we screwed up but we are going to regain your trust." It sounds like a bad boyfriend: "I know I've let you down baby, but this time it'll be different, I swear!"
Jindal said the Dems want the governmenet to solve all our problems and that Republicans want to trust the people to solve the country's problems. "Americans can do anything," he said. Really? Can they snap their fingers and suddenly catch up on their mortgage payments? Can they wave a magic wand and suddenly have health insurance? Can they clap three times and fix up their kids' crumbling schools? Can they click their heels and suddenly become employed again?
And they call Obama naive.
I liked the "we are not a nation of quitters" line. I liked the emphasis on health care. He seemed both optimistic and doggedly realistic. That's not an easy thing to pull off.
Bobby Jindal got the unenviable task of following him, and did not do so well. I mean put aside the content (I really wonder how many people thought the problem with Katrina is that the government was TOO involved??) -- his presentation was simply stiff and kind of mechanical, in my view.
Jindal said something like, "we know we screwed up but we are going to regain your trust." It sounds like a bad boyfriend: "I know I've let you down baby, but this time it'll be different, I swear!"
Jindal said the Dems want the governmenet to solve all our problems and that Republicans want to trust the people to solve the country's problems. "Americans can do anything," he said. Really? Can they snap their fingers and suddenly catch up on their mortgage payments? Can they wave a magic wand and suddenly have health insurance? Can they clap three times and fix up their kids' crumbling schools? Can they click their heels and suddenly become employed again?
And they call Obama naive.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The non-State of the Union
So officially, tonight's speech is not a State of the Union address. But still, same kinda deal. Joint session of Congress, lots of handshaking, introducing special guests, Dick Cheney glowering in the background... what? He's not a permanent part of the speeches??
God is truly good.
So anyhow, I suspect my lax blogging practices have ensured that most of my readership does not check the blog on a reg. basis, but if anyone reads this today and has five minutes, I'd be interested in hearing what you'd like to hear from President Obama tonight.
Personally, I hope he continues on his themes of tough times, responsibility, accountability, etc. This country has been, shall we say, delusional at times in the past few decades, but hopefully we're finally coming to accept that there are some real structural problems with our government and economy, and it's going to take some sacrifice and pain to solve them.
I'd like to hear a ringing endorsement of significant health care reform, but I have no idea how that's going to play out, and I wonder if even Obama does.
God is truly good.
So anyhow, I suspect my lax blogging practices have ensured that most of my readership does not check the blog on a reg. basis, but if anyone reads this today and has five minutes, I'd be interested in hearing what you'd like to hear from President Obama tonight.
Personally, I hope he continues on his themes of tough times, responsibility, accountability, etc. This country has been, shall we say, delusional at times in the past few decades, but hopefully we're finally coming to accept that there are some real structural problems with our government and economy, and it's going to take some sacrifice and pain to solve them.
I'd like to hear a ringing endorsement of significant health care reform, but I have no idea how that's going to play out, and I wonder if even Obama does.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
What has two thumbs and one senator? THIS state!
Sorry, I heard a friend use that old chestnut recently and well, it kind of hasn't let me go.
So anyhow, are we all sufficiently tired of the Senate standoff in Minnesota?
It's frustrating, especially when it becomes clear that the one Dem vote that Coleman is denying Obama really is important.
In the meantime, the court case draaaaaags along. They opened some ballots today, I hear.
So anyhow, are we all sufficiently tired of the Senate standoff in Minnesota?
It's frustrating, especially when it becomes clear that the one Dem vote that Coleman is denying Obama really is important.
In the meantime, the court case draaaaaags along. They opened some ballots today, I hear.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Obama in Elkhart
I've been hearing a lot about the latest Republican talking point: arguing that FDR's New Deal didn't really reverse the Great Depression and in fact made it worse.
You know, it's just pathetic what depths of denial these guys will sink to. It's bad enough that they deny things like global warming. But when they try to rewrite history to better fit their delusional ideology, it's just sad. What ever happened to being man enough to admit you were wrong? It just seems like modern politics is breeding this mindset that holds it's better to run the country into the toilet than ever admit a mistake.
Speaking of living in a bubble, here's one example of how Obama really is bringing change to the White House:
"In a dramatic contrast
to former President Bush's town-hall meetings -- which were held almost exclusively in party strongholds, with tickets distributed primarily to supporters -- it was first-come, first-served in Elkhart on Saturday. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained on Friday: "I've watched the President do town halls from 2004 through 2008, and the audience has never been hand-picked, and neither have the questions. And we're not going to start any of that on Monday."
Having observed how the Bush admin. conducted town hall meetings here in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, I know for a fact that these were very carefully screened events with very friendly audiences. Very brave, Sir George.
Below is a video of Obama speaking in Elkhart. This is an unscreened crowd from an area that did not go for Obama in the election. But does it sound like they don't support his stimulus package? You tell me.
You know, it's just pathetic what depths of denial these guys will sink to. It's bad enough that they deny things like global warming. But when they try to rewrite history to better fit their delusional ideology, it's just sad. What ever happened to being man enough to admit you were wrong? It just seems like modern politics is breeding this mindset that holds it's better to run the country into the toilet than ever admit a mistake.
Speaking of living in a bubble, here's one example of how Obama really is bringing change to the White House:
"In a dramatic contrast
to former President Bush's town-hall meetings -- which were held almost exclusively in party strongholds, with tickets distributed primarily to supporters -- it was first-come, first-served in Elkhart on Saturday. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained on Friday: "I've watched the President do town halls from 2004 through 2008, and the audience has never been hand-picked, and neither have the questions. And we're not going to start any of that on Monday."
Having observed how the Bush admin. conducted town hall meetings here in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, I know for a fact that these were very carefully screened events with very friendly audiences. Very brave, Sir George.
Below is a video of Obama speaking in Elkhart. This is an unscreened crowd from an area that did not go for Obama in the election. But does it sound like they don't support his stimulus package? You tell me.
Friday, February 06, 2009
How 'bout we listen to this guy? #3
Krugman, a leftie, sure. A leftie with a Nobel prize. Wait, are we valuing smart people yet?
How 'bout we listen to this guy? #2
Obama talks to Dems about the stimulus debate. "Don't come to the table with the same tired arguments and worn ideas that helped to create this crisis."
Look at who's leading the attacks on Obama's plan. The same guys who marched in lockstep with Bush and enabled his worst policies. Were their ideas good ones? Were their policies effective? Are we better off as a country because of their leadership? I'd really like to hear someone make the argument that we need to stay the course of the Bush administration.
Look at who's leading the attacks on Obama's plan. The same guys who marched in lockstep with Bush and enabled his worst policies. Were their ideas good ones? Were their policies effective? Are we better off as a country because of their leadership? I'd really like to hear someone make the argument that we need to stay the course of the Bush administration.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
How 'bout we listen to this guy?
If, God help you, you've stumbled across Glenn Beck or Lou Dobbs in the last day or so, this video might bring your heart rate down a little. Organizing for America--basically the Obama campaign--just sent it out in an email.
late update: I posted in a hurry earlier, so I didn't really finish my thought. There's been a whole lot of Republican posturing on the stimulus. But as many have pointed out, Republicans had their shot to fix this last summer. And what did they do? They passed a tax rebate. With Democratic approval, of course. It was very bipartisan.
Did it fix the problem? Obviously not. Let's put aside who's actually to blame for this mess, although it's crystal clear in my mind. Let's just ask the practical question, who has the best ideas to fix it? We've tried the R solution: tax cut, tax credit, tax rebate. That's been the mantra for 8 years, and it simply hasn't worked.
late update: I posted in a hurry earlier, so I didn't really finish my thought. There's been a whole lot of Republican posturing on the stimulus. But as many have pointed out, Republicans had their shot to fix this last summer. And what did they do? They passed a tax rebate. With Democratic approval, of course. It was very bipartisan.
Did it fix the problem? Obviously not. Let's put aside who's actually to blame for this mess, although it's crystal clear in my mind. Let's just ask the practical question, who has the best ideas to fix it? We've tried the R solution: tax cut, tax credit, tax rebate. That's been the mantra for 8 years, and it simply hasn't worked.
Country First?
I haven't been watching cable news lately. Maybe that's why I'm not panicking about Obama's stimulus plan.
My sense, from reading stuff on the computer, is that the cable news idiots are spending a lot of time talking about how how Obama doesn't have bipartisan support and giving lots and lots of airtime to critics of the Obama administration.
That's the usual cable news MO; it's been documented many times. Play up the controversy, give lots of air time to Republicans and almost none to Dems.
And if I watched it, I would probably freak out.
But there are some basic facts here. The Dems control the House. They have a nearly filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Yes, if Obama doesn't pay attention to the mood in DC, he could lose some Dem. congress critters, but I don't think he's going to lose a lot.
And some of these R's just have to, when push comes to shove, do the right thing. Right?
They're not going to cripple our economy and risk the future prosperity of our nation just to score political points, are they?
Are they?
My sense, from reading stuff on the computer, is that the cable news idiots are spending a lot of time talking about how how Obama doesn't have bipartisan support and giving lots and lots of airtime to critics of the Obama administration.
That's the usual cable news MO; it's been documented many times. Play up the controversy, give lots of air time to Republicans and almost none to Dems.
And if I watched it, I would probably freak out.
But there are some basic facts here. The Dems control the House. They have a nearly filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Yes, if Obama doesn't pay attention to the mood in DC, he could lose some Dem. congress critters, but I don't think he's going to lose a lot.
And some of these R's just have to, when push comes to shove, do the right thing. Right?
They're not going to cripple our economy and risk the future prosperity of our nation just to score political points, are they?
Are they?
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Daschle Out
Just hours after a post on the World's Most Dangerous Political Blog (TM) criticized the Obama administration for nominating people who have been sloppy with their taxes, Sen. Tom Daschle bows out as nominee for HHS secretary.
Coincidence??
More seriously, this somewhat shocking development (who knew this Obama crowd was going to take the whole accountability thing to heart??) has to raise the question of whether we're going to see real health care reform this year, or any.
I do think big changes in our health care system are almost inevitable. But I've been thinking that for years. And the big changes may simply be that it just gets worse and worse.
Obama had found a guy with tons of Senate experience, probably unparalleled pull with other Senators, and he was one of the most knowledge people in the US about health care, to boot. You don't find guys like that every day. Who's going to fill those shoes?
Can Hillary do State and HHS?
Ok, breathe, people, I'm just kidding.
Coincidence??
More seriously, this somewhat shocking development (who knew this Obama crowd was going to take the whole accountability thing to heart??) has to raise the question of whether we're going to see real health care reform this year, or any.
I do think big changes in our health care system are almost inevitable. But I've been thinking that for years. And the big changes may simply be that it just gets worse and worse.
Obama had found a guy with tons of Senate experience, probably unparalleled pull with other Senators, and he was one of the most knowledge people in the US about health care, to boot. You don't find guys like that every day. Who's going to fill those shoes?
Can Hillary do State and HHS?
Ok, breathe, people, I'm just kidding.
Note to Liberals: Pay Your Taxes!!!
I'm just saying ... people, come on. The Dems are trying to position themselves as the party of competence and accountability. They are kind of shooting themselves in the foot with this stuff.
I think Daschle's a great nominee, I think Geithner was probably a good choice (who knows, these economic experts all seem to be wrong 70 percent of the time these days), and Killefer was actually probably a great choice to do something that a lot of politicians have talked about but few have delivered on: run the government like a business.
But you gotta cross your t's and dot your i's or you really don't look like you belong in a job like this one.
One could make the case that these problems point to an impossibly complicated tax system that even the best and the brightest can muck up, and it's true that it's happened to folks on both sides of the aisle, but the bottom line is, that's an excuse.
This stuff is politics as usual. We are expecting more from the Obama Administration.
(All of the above written by a fellow who's wife keeps the books.)
I think Daschle's a great nominee, I think Geithner was probably a good choice (who knows, these economic experts all seem to be wrong 70 percent of the time these days), and Killefer was actually probably a great choice to do something that a lot of politicians have talked about but few have delivered on: run the government like a business.
But you gotta cross your t's and dot your i's or you really don't look like you belong in a job like this one.
One could make the case that these problems point to an impossibly complicated tax system that even the best and the brightest can muck up, and it's true that it's happened to folks on both sides of the aisle, but the bottom line is, that's an excuse.
This stuff is politics as usual. We are expecting more from the Obama Administration.
(All of the above written by a fellow who's wife keeps the books.)
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